Nini Hedberg Sissener
Senior Scientist
My main research interests are lipid nutrition and fat metabolism in fish, as well as the effects of novel feed ingredients on fish health and robustness. The sources of fat in fish feed have changed significantly over the past decades, and we need to understand how these changes, including long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, saturated fat, and cholesterol, can affect fish growth, health, and fillet quality. Furthermore, nutritional requirements may change when fish are exposed to stress, disease, different production methods or other challenges, making it necessary to optimize feed composition to ensure robust fish under demanding production conditions. The interaction between different nutrients, such as omega-3 and zinc, has also been a focus of my research in recent years, in addition to the requirements for micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) under challenging conditions and disease.
I hold a PhD from the University of Bergen/NIFES (2009), focusing on genetically modified plant products in feed for Atlantic salmon. I also have a master’s degree in general aquaculture (2006) from the University of Bergen. I have worked as a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research (formerly NIFES) from 2009, and as a senior researcher since 2016, leading several projects on fish nutrition and health in Atlantic salmon. As of February 1st, 2025, I am employed at Nofima.
List of publications:
A. J. P. Philip, T. M. Kortner, P. Wischhusen, K. Hamre, Å. Krogdahl, K.H. Skjærven, G. Løkka, G.M. Berge, M. Espe, N.H. Sissener, Revisiting Vitamin and Trace Mineral Nutrition in Atlantic Salmon Farming With Emphasis on Fish Health, Reviews in Aquaculture 17, no. 4 (2025): e70087.
N.S. Liland, F. Lai, A. Sicuro, M.L. Azevedo, P. Araujo, C. Hagen, N.H. Sissener, F. Soares, I. Rønnestad, On-growing Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) acclimate behaviourally and physiologically to chronic hypoxia, but exhibit reduced feed intake, growth and lipid retention, Aquaculture, Volume 611, 2026, 743043, ISSN 0044-8486, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.743043.
N.H. Sissener, G. Rosenlund, T. Larsson, Ø. Sæle, B. Ruyter, A.J P. Philip, I. Stubhaug (2025), Saturated fat and cholesterol in Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar L.) feeds are important for fish performance, fillet quality and colour, Aquaculture, Volume 607, 2025, 742642, ISSN 0044-8486, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742642.
R. Hannisdal, O. J. Nøstbakken, M. H.G. Berntssen, A. Duinker, Q. T. Ho, M. Kjellevold, A. Bernhard, L. Frøyland, A. Maage, A.-K. Lundebye, N. H. Sissener, L. Dahl, R. Ørnsrud, V. Sele (2025), Nutrients and contaminants in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillet and fish feed from 2006 to 2021., Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 2025, 101933, ISSN 2666-1543, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2025.101933.
H. Fang, N. H. Sissener, A. J. P. Philip, G. Rosenlund, I. Stubhaug, Ø. Sæle (2025), Interaction between dietary saturated fatty acids and cholesterol on mineral and fatty acid availability and postprandial lipids absorption kinetics in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Aquaculture, Volume 600, 2025, 742250, ISSN 0044-8486, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742250.
H.H. Fang, N.H. Sissener, Ø. Sæle, T. Sigholt, A.J.P. Philip (2024). The interaction between dietary fat level, n-3 LC-PUFA and zinc on their postprandial absorption kinetics in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Aquaculture Nutrition 2024, https://doi.org/10.1155/anu/6173690
Huyben, D., Mayes, T., Bartie, K., Matthew, C., Sissener, N.H., Hundal, B.K., Homer, N., Ruyter, B., Glencross, B. (2023) Steroidogenic, eicosanoid, cytokine, and haematological responses in Atlantic salmon are influenced by dietary total lipid, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and dissolved oxygen. Aquaculture, Volume 564.
Lutfi, E., Berge, G., Bæverfjord, G., Sigholt, T., Bou, M., Larsson, T., Mørkøre, T., Evensen. Ø., Sissener, N.H., Rosenlund, G., Sveen, L., Østbye, T.K., Ruyter, B. (2023). Increasing dietary levels of the n-3 long-chain PUFA, EPA and DHA, improves the growth, welfare, robustness and fillet quality of Atlantic salmon in sea cages. British Journal of Nutrition, 129.1, pp 10-28.
Chandrasekar, S., Saito, T., Sissener, N. H., Antony Jesu Prabhu, P., & Sæle, Ø. (2022). Intracellular trafficking of fatty acids in the fish intestinal epithelial cell line RTgutGC. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1-15.
B. Ruyter, M. Bou, G. M. Berge, T. Mørkøre, N. H. Sissener, M. Sanden, E. Lutfi, O.-H. Romarheim, A. Krasnov, T.-K. K. Østbye, 2022. A dose-response study with omega-3 rich canola oil as a novel source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in feed for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in seawater; effects on performance, tissue fatty acid composition, and fillet quality, Aquaculture, Volume 561, 2022, 738733, ISSN 0044-8486.
L.H. Miao, S.C. Remø, M. Espe, A.J.P. Philip, K. Hamre, P.G. Fjelldal, K. Skjærven, E. Holen, V. Vikeså, N.H. Sissener, 2022. Dietary plant oil supplemented with arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid affects the fatty acid composition and eicosanoid metabolism of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) during smoltification, Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 123, Pages 194-206.
Selvam, C., Philip, A., Lutfi, E., Sigholt, T., Norberg, B., Bæverfjord, G., Rosenlund, G., Ruyter, B., Sissener, N.H. (2022). Long-term feeding of Atlantic salmon with varying levels of dietary EPA DHA alters the mineral status but does not affect the stress responses after mechanical delousing stress. British Journal of Nutrition, 1-17. doi:10.1017/S0007114522000514
Hundal, B.K.; Lutfi, E.; Sigholt, T.; Rosenlund, G.; Liland, N.S.; Glencross, B.; Sissener, N.H. A Piece of the Puzzle—Possible Mechanisms for Why Low Dietary EPA and DHA Cause Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Metabolites 2022, 12, 159.
E. Holen, M. Chen, P.G. Fjelldal, K. Skjærven, N.H. Sissener, S. Remø, A.J. Prabhu, K. Hamre, V. Vikeså, S. Subramanian, M. Espe, 2022, Tailoring freshwater diets towards boosted immunity and pancreas disease infection robustness in Atlantic salmon post smolts, Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 120, Pages 377-391, ISSN 1050-4648, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2021.11.019.
A.J.P. Philip, P.G. Fjelldal, S.C. Remø, C. Selvam, K. Hamre, M. Espe, E. Holen, K. H. Skjærven, V. Vikså, S. Subramanian, J.W. Schrama, N.H. Sissener (2022), Dietary electrolyte balance of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) freshwater feeds: Impact on osmoregulation, mineral metabolism and performance in seawater, Aquaculture, Volume 546, 15 January 2022, 737305, ISSN 0044-8486.
C. Selvam, M.D. Powell, N.S. Liland, G. Rosenlund, N.H. Sissener, 2021. Impact of dietary level and ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on disease progression and mRNA expression of immune and inflammatory markers in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) challenged with Paramoeba perurans. PeerJ 9:e12028
N.H. Sissener, K. Hamre, P.G. Fjelldal, A.J.P. Philip, M. Espe, L. Miao, E. Høglund, C. Sørensen, K.H. Skjærven, E. Holen, S. Subramanian, V. Vikeså, B. Norberg, S.C. Remø, 2021. Can improved nutrition for Atlantic salmon in freshwater increase fish robustness, survival and growth after seawater transfer? Aquaculture, Volume 542, 736852.
B.K. Hundal, N.S. Liland, G. Rosenlund, E. Höglund, P. Araujo, I. Stubhaug, N.H. Sissener, 2021. Increasing the dietary n-6/n-3 ratio alters the hepatic eicosanoid production after acute stress in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Aquaculture, Volume 534, 736272.
B. K. Hundal, N. S. Liland, G. Rosenlund, M. Bou, I. Stubhaug, N.H. Sissener, 2021. Increasing dietary n-6 fatty acids while keeping n-3 fatty acids stable decreases EPA in polar lipids of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Br J Nutr. 14 January 2021, pp. 10 – 25
M. Berntssen, G. Rosenlund, B. Garlito, H. Amlund, N. Sissener, A. Bernhard, M. Sanden, 2020. Sensitivity of Atlantic salmon to the pesticide pirimiphos-methyl, present in plant-based feeds, Aquaculture, 531: 735825.
R. Skern-Mauritzen, N.H. Sissener, S. Meier, M. Skern-Mauritzen, T. Vågseth, S. Dalvin, I. Johnsen, S. Bui, 2020. Parasite development affect dispersal dynamics; infectivity, activity and energetic status in cohorts of salmon louse copepodids. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 530-531: 151429.
Sissener NH, Araujo P, Sæle Ø, Rosenlund G, Stubhaug I, Sanden M, 2020. Dietary 18:2n-6 affects EPA (20:5n-3) and ARA (20:4n-6) content in cell membranes and eicosanoid production in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Aquaculture. 2020; 522:735098.
B. Ruyter, N.H. Sissener, T.-K. Østbye, C. Simon, A. Krasnov, M. Bou Mira, M. Sanden, P. Nichols, E. Lutfi and G. M. Berge, 2019. Omega-3 canola oil effectively replaces fish oil as a new safe dietary source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in feed for juvenile Atlantic salmon, British Journal of Nutrition, 122(12), 1329-1345. doi:10.1017/S0007114519002356
A. J. Prabhu, E.-J. Lock, G.-I. Hemre, K. Hamre, M. Espe, P.A. Olsvik, J. Silva, A.-C. Hansen, N.H. Sissener, R. Waagbø, 2019. Recommendations for dietary level of micro-minerals and vitamin D3 to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr and post-smolt when fed low fish meal diets. PeerJ 7:e6996
N.H. Sissener, R. Ørnsrud, L. Frøyland, M. Sanden, S. Remø and A.-K. Lundebye, 2018. Erucic acid (22:1n-9) in fish feed, farmed and wild fish and seafood products. Nutrients, 10 (10), 1443.
N.S. Liland, K. Pittman, P. Whatmore, B. E. Torstensen, N.H. Sissener, 2018. Phytosterols cause only small changes in lipid storage, but affect markers of lipid metabolism in Atlantic salmon hepatocytes. Lipids, 53 (7); 737-747.
Liland, N.S., Johnsen, E.N., Hellberg, H., Waagbø, R., Sissener, N.H., Torstensen, B.E., Sæle, Ø, 2018. Effects of dietary vegetable oils and varying dietary EPA and DHA levels on intestinal lipid accumulations in Atlantic salmon. Aquaculture Nutrition; 24:1599–1610
N.H. Sissener, G. Rosenlund, I. Stubhaug, N.S. Liland (2018). Tissue sterol composition in Atlantic salmon depends on the dietary cholesterol content and on the dietary phytosterol:cholesterol ratio, but not on the dietary phytosterol content. Br J Nutr, 119(6), 599-609.
N.H Sissener (2018). Are we what we eat? Changing feed fatty acid composition of farmed salmon and its effects through the food chain. Invited review, Journal of Experimental Biology, 221, jeb161521. doi:10.1242/jeb.161521
E. Holen, P. Araujo, N. H. Sissener, G. Rosenlund, R. Waagbø (2018). A comparative study: Difference in omega-6/omega-3 balance and saturated fat in diets for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) affect immune-, fat metabolism-, oxidative and apoptotic gene expression, and eicosanoid secretion in head kidney leukocytes. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 72, 57-68.
N. H. Sissener, N.S. Liland, E. Holen, I. Stubhaug, B. E. Torstensen, Grethe Rosenlund (2017). Phytosterols are not involved in the development of fatty liver in plant oil fed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at high or low water temperature, Aquaculture, 480, 123-124
N.H. Sissener, M. Sanden, B. E. Torstensen, R. Waagbø, I. Stubhaug, G. Rosenlund (2017). High dietary 18:2n-6 does not inhibit elongation and desaturation of 18:3n-3 to EPA and DHA in Atlantic salmon. Aquaculture Nutrition, 23, 899–909.
N.H. Sissener, B.E. Torstensen, N. Liland, I. Stubhaug, G. Rosenlund (2017). Temperature modulates liver lipid accumulation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed low dietary levels of n-3 long-chain fatty acids, Aquaculture Nutrition, 23 (4), 1365-2095. DOI: 10.1111/anu.12453
K. Hamre, N.H. Sissener, E.J. Lock, P.A. Olsvik, M. Espe, B.E. Torstensen, J. Silva, R. Waagbø, G.-I. Hemre (2016). Antioxidant nutrition in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr and smolt, fed diets with high inclusion of plant based ingredients and graded levels of micronutrients and selected amino acids. PeerJ 4:e2688
G.-I. Hemre, E.J. Lock, P.A. Olsvik, K. Hamre, M. Espe, B. Torstensen, J. Silva, A.-C. Hansen, R. Waagbø, J. Johansen, N.H. Sissener (2016). Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) require increased dietary levels of B-vitamins when fed diets with high inclusion of plant based ingredients. PeerJ 4:e2493.
N.H. Sissener, R. Waagbø, G. Rosenlund, L. Tvenning, S. Susort, T. B. Lea, Ø. Oaland, L. Chen, O. Breck (2016). Reduced n-3 long chain fatty acid levels in feed for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) do not reduce growth, robustness or product quality through an entire full scale commercial production cycle in seawater. Aquaculture, 464, 236-245.
M. Sanden, N.S. Liland, Ø. Sæle, G. Rosenlund, S. Du, B. E Torstensen, I. Stubhaug, B. Ruyter, N.H. Sissener (2016). Minor metabolic perturbations in the liver of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) – caused by suboptimal dietary content of nutrients from fish oil? Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 42: 1463. DOI 10.1007/s10695-016-0233-3
N.H. Sissener, B.E. Torstensen, I. Stubhaug, G. Rosenlund (2016). Long term feeding of Atlantic salmon in seawater with low dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids affects tissue status of brain, retina and red blood cells. British Journal of Nutrition, 115, 19191-1929. doi:10.1017/S0007114516000945
G. Rosenlund, B.E. Torstensen, I. Stubhaug, N. Usman, N.H. Sissener (2016). Atlantic salmon require long-chain n-3 fatty acids for optimal growth throughout the seawater period, Journal of Nutritional Science, vol. 5, e19, 1-13
M. Sanden, R. Ørnsrud, N. H. Sissener, S. Jørgensen, A.-M. Bakke, J. Gu, G.-I. Hemre (2013). Cross-generational feeding of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)-maize to zebrafish (Danio rerio) showed no adverse effects on the parental or offspring generation, British Journal of Nutrition, 110 (12), 2222-2233
Sissener, N.H., Julshamn, K., Espe, M., Lunestad, B.T., Hemre, G.-I., Waagbø, R., Måge, A. (2013). Surveillance of selected nutrients, additives and undesirables in commercial Norwegian fish feeds in the years 2000 to 2010. Aquaculture Nutrition, 19 (4), 555-572.
Jinni Gu, Åshild Krogdahl, Nini H. Sissener, Trond M. Kortner, Eva Gelencser, Gro-Ingunn Hemre and Anne Marie Bakke (2013). Effects of oral Bt-maize (MON810) exposure on growth and health parameters in normal and sensitized Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. British Journal of Nutrition, 109, 1408-1423.
Nini H. Sissener, Gro-Ingunn Hemre, Marit Espe, Monica Sanden, Bente E. Torstensen, Ernst M. Hevrøy (2013). Effects of plant-based diets on glucose and amino acid metabolism, leptin, ghrelin and GH-IGF system regulation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Aquaculture nutrition, 19, 399-413.
Monica Sanden, Susanne Jørgensen, Gro-Ingunn Hemre, Robin Ørnsrud, Nini H. Sissener (2012). Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model for investigating dietary toxic effects of deoxynivalenol contamination in aquaculture feeds. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 50, 4441–4448
Nini H. Sissener, Gro-Ingunn Hemre, Santosh P. Lall, Anita Sagstad, Kjell Petersen, Jason Williams, Jens Rohloff, Åshild Krogdahl, Monica Sanden (2011). Are apparent negative effects of feeding genetically modified MON810 maize to Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, caused by confounding factors? British Journal of Nutrition, 106: 42-56.
Nini H. Sissener, Monica Sanden, Åshild Krogdahl, Anne-Marie Bakke, Lene Elisabeth Johannessen, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2011). Genetically modified plants as fish feed ingredients, review. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 68(3): 563-574.
Monica Sanden, Lene E. Johannessen, Knut G. Berdal, Nini Sissener, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2011). Uptake and clearance of dietary DNA in the intestine of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed conventional or genetically modified soybeans. Aquaculture nutrition, 17(3): 750-759.
Nini H. Sissener, Samuel A.M. Martin, Phillip Cash, Ernst M. Hevrøy, Monica Sanden, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2010). Proteomic profiling of liver from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fed genetically modified soy compared to the near-isogenic non-GM line. Marine Biotechnology, 12: 273-281.
Nini H. Sissener, Lene E. Johannessen, Ernst M. Hevrøy, Christer R. Wiik-Nielsen, Knut G. Berdal, Andreas Nordgreen, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2010). Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model for investigating the safety of genetically modified feed ingredients (soy and maize); performance, stress response and uptake of dietary DNA sequences. British Journal of Nutrition, 103, 3-15.
Nini H. Sissener, Anne-Marie Bakke, Jinni Gu, Michael H. Penn, Elisabeth Eie, Åshild Krogdahl, Monica Sanden, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2009). An assessment of organ and intestinal histomorphology and cellular stress response in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed genetically modified soy. Aquaculture 298, 101-110.
Nini H. Sissener, Monica Sanden, Anne-Marie Bakke, Åshild Krogdahl, Gro-Ingunn Hemre (2009). A long term trial with Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed genetically modified soy; focusing general health and performance before, during and after the parr-smolt transformation. Aquaculture 294, 108-117.
